Author: Jemma Alexander

The last company to hold net pen leases in the state, Canada-based Cooke Aquaculture Pacific, gave up its appeal on Friday, March 15, against the cancellation of its Rish Passage and Hope Island leases. The leases were canceled in November 2022. On August 19, 2017, the company’s lease near Cypress Island was canceled due to the escape of 300,000 Atlantic Salmon from a faulty net pen. The Washington State Department of Natural Resources also fined them $332,000 for the incident. Fishermen from the Lummi Nation went on a mission to catch thousands of Atlantic salmon before they could breed with…